There are so many wonderful YA books that I haven't read; so many amazing authors that I haven't ever tried. I really need to catch up and devote some time to these great writers. This is just the start... I have a scary-long list of other YA books I want to get my hands on, but I'm trying to pace myself. Here's what I just ordered from Amazon as my Christmas gift:






So... Any other recommendations for me? A lot of the YA I usually read is in the urban/contemporary fantasy genre, but I'm branching out. :)

I was thinking about this last night, and I didn't come up with one definitive answer so I'll try again today. Sometimes it helps to think aloud.

First of all, writing 'YA' is largely a marketing category - books that are today termed 'YA' would have been shelved in the Childrens section, not too long ago; or simply 'upgraded' to general fiction or science fiction/fantasy or wherever, depending on the genre. Books for teenagers existed of course, but they weren't called 'YA' back then. Not that I think having a whole category/genre dedicated to books for teens is a bad thing. Actually, I think it's great - especially the way teenage fiction sections are set up in bookstores now. They look cool, they're separate from the younger childrens books, and the choice of books is just incredible! Very inviting for teens who might drift away from reading for pleasure, with so many other things grabbing at their attention and free time. The quality of these novels is just fantastic, too. So many amazing authors writing about those teen years... No wonder they're so popular with editors right now!

But that's not the whole story.

Primarily, I write YA fiction because I love writing about characters aged around 16-18. It's an age where a lot happened in my life, and those experiences seem more important and powerful when you're going through all the inevitable changes that the teenage years bring. All those 'first times' that we go through at 17... It makes for wonderful drama and conflict in fiction. The potential for emotional writing is huge - and I love writing big emotional scenes. I remember how brave I could be at 17, while now - as an adult - I am much more cautious and (try to) think things through before acting. There's a fearless quality to many teenagers I have known.

I used to work with older teens, as a student advisor, and I learned so much during that time. It was stressful but rewarding, and I also undertook a counselling qualification that still benefits me today. I was just turning 30 when I took the job, and I think it was then that I realised I wanted to focus on the teenage years in my fiction. Previously, I'd written 'literary' short stories about adults - but my heart just wasn't in them.

Now that I'm writing YA contemporary fantasy, I can allow my imagination to soar - while still grounding myself in the very real issues of what it's like to be 17. I remember that time pretty well (too well!), even though it was half my lifetime ago. To think that I'm writing books that might one day be read by young adults who experience things so passionately... That would be a reward in itself. :)

Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy series is seriously BRILLIANT. The world-building is indepth and unique, and the characters are so easy to fall in love with - especially Rose, the main character. Richelle isn't afraid to pull her punches, and there are some shocking developments in Frostbite, so much so that I now can't wait for Book 3. Shadow Kiss is due out in November.



These are actually one book, but I've included both the UK and US covers because they're such an interesting contrast. Dan Waters' Generation Dead was a total surprise. It sucked me in and I literally couldn't put it down until I'd finished. The writing is fabulous and the issues it addresses are always relevant. Yes, it's about zombies in high school, but it's also about so much more. In that regard, the US cover isn't great (although it looks stunning), because there aren't really any zombie cheerleaders in the book! I'm 100% relieved there's a sequel coming out next year; the ending of this book, although I did see it coming, was still emotionally wrenching and sort-of horrifying. I have to see what happens next to these incredible characters!



I just finished Maggie Stiefvater's Lament and, again, was blown away. Firstly, by how beautifully it's written, but then by the unique look at Faerie and how it intersects with our world. I loved Dee, and found the opening chapters as we see her struggling with performance anxiety (she's a talented musician) completely believable. From those early chapters I cared about what happened to her and couldn't wait to get to the end. The sequel, Ballad, comes out next year - I'll be pre-ordering it as soon as it's available.

For someone who wasn't going to be posting until Monday, I've been over here far too much, but I had to let people know about this:

(As recently posted by lilithsaintcrow, I thought I'd try to widen The Call.)

Trisha Telep, who edited the fabulous (and recently published) Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance is looking to become an agent. She needs to show the potential agency her instincts when it comes to saleable submissions. Trisha is not only a professional, but is also a great person. As well as her editorial work, she is the romance buyer at Murder One bookstore here in London - although for this call she is looking for Young Adult submissions.

If you are UNPUBLISHED (i.e., have no novel-length work contracted or published; I believe short stories are OK), and have a YA proposal (good) or sample chapters (better), Trisha would like to hear from you. These are electronic submissions; send your sample chapters (best) or proposal (okay) to her AS AN ATTACHMENT WITH A COVER LETTER to: murderone_vampires@yahoo.co.uk. (The email address does not indicate a bias towards vampire projects!) If, during this process you really wow Trisha, don't forget that means you will also have wowed a potential agent/agency. You've got nothing to lose.

[As an aside, yesterday Trisha told me that she is "not averse to working hard to get something ready to submit." In fact, she enjoys that - I think this is where her editorial experience will stand her future clients in good stead.]

Disclaimer and directions time: This isn't a guaranteed offer of representation, it's a submissions call. Submissions should be sent as a Word '97-2003 Compatible doc, double-space and 12 pt in a clear readable font (Courier is good). Don't forget your name, title, and page numbers in the header. Your cover letter should include your name, a way of contacting you, and a little bit about the attached sample--whether the manuscript is finished, how long it is, why Trisha should read it. Last but not least, good luck!

Spread the word if you know of any YA writers who might benefit from this.

Neil talks very sensibly about YA fiction:

"young adults (and older kids) should be reading everything, relentlessly. They should be reading outside their comfort zones, because the training wheels have come off, and that's the only way they'll find out where their comfort zones are, reading everything."

Good to remember next time I'm thinking about this stuff. :)

Last night, after I'd recovered from a horrible migraine, I realised something important about my struggle to decide what to write next. Actually, I realised several important things. In part, this was inspired by fandoria's reply to my recent angst-ridden entry and her subsequent post, Writing is Passion.

I think one of my problems is that I feel like there's something I should be writing - only I'm not doing it. Therefore I have failed as a writer. I'm just thinking aloud here... But I realised that there are certain books I love to read and would therefore love to write... only maybe my heart's not in them. I am inspired by so much in current science fiction and fantasy writing, but I'm just not passionate enough about my own adult urban fantasy ideas to do my best work on them. At least, not yet.

But I am passionate about writing YA contemporary fantasy. Now that's something that really sets my imagination on fire. (Of course, I love to read it, too!) So I allowed my mind to wander among the many YA ideas I have - along with the sequel to the completed TIW - and you know what? I will write that sequel, but not yet. I know what will happen in it, which is a Good Thing, but another idea gripped me so tightly it made my head hurt. I thought I was having another migraine, but it was just the excitement. I dashed to my notebook and scribbled things down, and then realised (I did lots of 'realising' last night, as you may have noticed) it bore a striking resemblance to the idea I had last August. But of course, I didn't write it back then.

So, to cut this long story short - my epiphany is this:

I love to write YA contemporary fantasy. Therefore, that's what I'm going to focus on - for now. I am going to write this new YA book, and I am SO excited about it! :)